The Grizzlies return home tonight for Game 6 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. A few thoughts in preparation for what could be the season finale:
Elimination Game: In both Game 6 of the San Antonio series and Game 5 of this series with the Thunder, Lionel Hollins deflected pressure by pointing out that the team would still be playing regardless of the game’s outcome. No more. Tonight will be the Grizzlies’ first elimination of this post-season — first playoff elimination game since 2006. How the team — and the crowd, frankly — responds to the pressure will be compelling to watch. This game could be wild, could be triumphant, could be unbearably tense, could be deflating. Win or lose, this could be the final home game of the season. If so, let’s hope we go out with a good performance and a fun game.
Offensive Drought: Game 5, in which the Grizzlies managed a mere 72 points, was obviously a disaster. But it was a continuation — culmination, hopefully — of a downward trend that had been developing since Game 2. The Grizzlies’ team shooting percentages since the second game: 44%, 38%, 36%, 36%. These struggles start with the team’s best scorer, Zach Randolph, who has had a national coming out party in these playoffs but whose production has actually been off his regular-season averages of the past two seasons. Randolph is shooting only 32% over the past four games. And, more recently, Mike Conley has joined him in his funk, shooting a combined 6-28 over the past two games.
Past Time for a Lineup Change: Randolph has complained that the Oklahoma City defense is sagging into the paint too much and the Grizzlies aren’t doing a good enough job spacing the floor and stretching the defense. And he’s right.
